We've been enjoying some nice weather and warmer temperatures across and with the coming of summer, comes a few other embarrassing body problems many of my patients have a hard time talking to me abou...

Men have been suffering in silence under the heavy weight of body expectations; drastically taking measures to fit their own body into the ideals they see on the cover of men's fitness magazines. Think this is outlandish? Men don't have body image issues, do they?

In my practice, I meet people who have tried many things to lose weight: from juice fasts to protein loading. Many of these people, in spite of stubborn fat, are well-versed in what it takes to shed the pounds: and they come to me feeling exasperated because their well-meaning efforts -- sticking to whole foods and exercising regularly -- have amounted to barely a budge on the scale. What gives?

Cravings seem to be a normal part of life for many people. And yet, in my work as a naturopath, cravings often signal an imbalance in the body. The body is literally craving what it most needs. The best scenario for both peaceful living and healthy weight management is that your body seeks only healthy foods.

With the shorter days, many of us are inclined to go into hibernation mode, snuggling on the couch under warm blankets and ordering takeout. By getting the whole family involved in meal planning you ensure that the task of feeding your family healthy meals doesn't fall all on one person's shoulder.

Stop me if you've heard this one -- "Whatever you do with your diet, DO NOT skip breakfast." Eating first thing after we wake is one of the dictums of dieting and we've all heard it so many times we don't question why we are eating, even if we may not be hungry.

A trip to the carnival or fair is a summertime staple that most people don't want to miss. While the rides and excitement can be a strong lure, the food is also a much-loved reason for visiting. Notoriously deep fried, however, it doesn't exactly meet my standards for healthy or a good choice when you are trying to drop or maintain weight.

If you are going to spend a lot of time at work, you need to make sure you are living well, even amongst the stress and strain of deadlines and performance reviews. The good news: it's not as hard as you think. Try incorporating some of these simple principles and ideas into your average workday.

Instead of beating yourself up for your lack of self-discipline, let's talk about what might be missing from your attempt to create a healthy habit. You can't "do better" if you don't know how to put your goals into action.

Weight loss can feel like an enormous mountain to climb. Before slashing calories, counting calories or even making the healthy changes to portion sizes, food choices and activity levels, I have seven suggestions that will prepare your body and mind for the mountain ahead.

The belief that eating out equals a lot of calories paralyzes many dieters -- they feel that in order to lose weight and maintain the loss, they have to stay away from restaurants forever. This is a depressing thought.

Two recently released reports have revealed that Canada has one of the highest rates of Type 2 diabetes among 34 developed countries. Estimates suggest that more than three million Canadians struggle with this disease, and a further 5.7 million have pre-diabetes which could develop into the full-blown disorder.

I prefer a holistic approach to the treatment of depression, that may include prescription drugs in some cases. And feel that many people aren't aware of the lifestyle adjustments and holistic remedies they can use to help them either avoid depression medication.

Just about now you've hit your summer groove: maybe it includes less demanding work days, more relaxing social outings and longer nights spent nurturing your soul with "me" activities. Stress levels tend to drop in the summer months, and overall we have a sunnier outlook (pardon the pun).

There are some hidden dangers you need to know about if weight gain is a concern, if you want to take advantage of summer activities to slim down or if you have health concerns that need to be kept in check. Here are four summer foods, disguised as healthy choices, that may actually be causing you to gain weight.

Heat-seekers rejoice, the warm weather and sunshine has rolled in. We can finally shed some layers, shrug off dark winter days and embrace sweaty outdoor fun and warm-weather inspired treats. As you hit the trails for a sun-inspired run or the ice cream parlour for a cool treat, you may be experiencing a few of summer's unwanted, and embarrassing, side effects.

The heat is on and we say bring the summer sun -- it's for basking in, strolling in and getting active in. But before you shed your layers and hit the beach, park or your favourite walking path, make sure you adjust your skincare routine and take some extra measures to protect yourself from summer skin problems.